Getting ready...

[PNWEx]

ready to build a 4.0.

I have 94 Limited Explorer who is starting to show her age. Given how much coolant I have been adding lately and distinct smell of burning coolant in traffic, I would say she's gonna go sometime sooner than later. I would like to get ahead of the situation and begin building a new 4.0 for longevity and a little power couldn't hurt. By that I mean I would like to hand the keys to my son in a few years for his first rig and I'd like to get some response when I step on the pedal. I have read a lot of the rebuild posts here and other places and I would like some clarity on a few things so any help is appreciated considering I have never built any type of engine and pretty much any vehicle knowledge I have is learned from here.

1. Will any 94 with 8th digit X work? ( I do not want to have to do any type of rewiring or anything)
2. What specifically has to be done to get the 98tm heads to make with the 94 block?

My plan so far is to,

Get an engine from a junker
Magna flux said engine
98tm heads
410 cam shaft
Melling high volume oil pump

3. What else should/need to do to get the most out of this engine for daily driving and limited trail riding? (We take this rig on forest roads in the PNW forest roads)

Again I know this subject has been beat to death but most of the posts are years old and the sites don't work and most of those products don't exists anymore.


Thanks again,
Rich

 

[Rick]

Yes any '94 will work. In fact you can use newer engines as well and just swap your manifold and sensors over.

From what I recall the heads will bolt up as is, they are just have smaller combustion chambers which will make more compression and could cause you to need to run premium to keep it from knocking.

New timing chain and gears for sure.

 

[PNWEx]

Yes any '94 will work. In fact you can use newer engines as well and just swap your manifold and sensors over.

From what I recall the heads will bolt up as is, they are just have smaller combustion chambers which will make more compression and could cause you to need to run premium to keep it from knocking.

New timing chain and gears for sure.

Thanks for the help, I think I am just going to get some aftermarket heads and just do the heads and gaskets for the time being

 

[410Fortune]

Sounds like a solid plan

Inspect your valve train bits really well look for any pits or
Gouges in the rocker tips and replace any that look worn

Also do yourself a huge favor and replace the valve seals on the heads with the fel pro or mahle pieces. The cheap valve seals they use on the reman heads like to fail after just a few miles and it will start to drink oil